A Handy Guide To Lunar Phases?

We regularly receive questions in regard to the best, or handiest, or easiest-to-understand guide to the Moon and its phases. We regularly point those inquiring to the NASA Scientific Visualization website, which contains a plethora of information, including animations of the Moon in all of its phasal glory — all in one equally glorious page.

Included in the treasure trove of information is “Dial-A-Moon,” an app of sorts that allows you to look at how the Moon will appear on any given day, with a downloadable high-resolution version of the view with labels for craters near the terminator, perfect for locating Lunar locations while Moonwatching.

The video content, much of it gathered from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), is fascinating to the point of distraction; even simple simulations of the Moon’s phases will keep your eyes locked on your screen.